Chapter 315: Black Blood Vine

The daylight had already gradually dimmed; in the dense, rolling deep mountains, the sky seemed to grow dark earlier than it did outside the mountains.

Pan Yong stood up, glanced at the work in everyone's hands, and said, "The work you few are doing is about finished; pack it up. As for the rest, Duan Rong and I will finish it off; you all go back and cook first."

Yin Cong sealed the last jar in his hands and said, "I'm already done here."

Chen Hu and Tang Zhu said nothing; they dropped the work in their hands, stood up, and left.

"Wait for me, you two." Yin Cong immediately chased after them.

Pan Yong looked at Duan Rong, who was still peeling insects, and said, "That's enough, Duan Rong. No need to peel anymore, there's already enough."

In just over an hour, Duan Rong had already piled up more than half a wooden basin; one insect, wiggling its chubby body, had already crawled to the edge of the wooden basin, and just as it was about to crawl out, Pan Yong wiped his hand across it, knocking it back into the basin where the pile of insects was rolling.

Pan Yong said, "Come, let the two of us work together one more time. There is one more step."

As Pan Yong spoke, he sat down in front of a strangely shaped wooden device not far away, pulled open something like a handle, then took a ladle, scooped up some of the chubby insects, and poured them into the concave part in the middle of the wooden device.

Pan Yong looked up at Duan Rong, pointed to the handle at his side, and said, "Press this down!"

Duan Rong's gaze shifted, having already understood; he gripped the handle tightly and pressed a round lever into the concave part where the insects had been loaded.

With a *puchi* sound, a stream of pulp flowed out from a Bamboo Tube at the front of the wooden device, flowing into a black pottery jar that Pan Yong had placed there beforehand.

Accompanied by the sloshing sound of the flowing pulp, an extremely thick, fishy stench rushed toward them.

Duan Rong had already been prepared; the moment he pressed the handle, he had already held his breath, but even so, his complexion at this moment was extremely unsightly.

Pan Yong glanced at Duan Rong and said, "It's like this for everyone at the beginning. After a long time, you'll know that these insects really aren't much."

Pan Yong was already very satisfied with Duan Rong's performance.

To not have vomited by now, he could already rank in the top three. The other two people were himself and Chen Hu.

Both were quick-witted people, and soon they cooperated quite tacitly; the large basin of fleshy insects was all squeezed into pulp in less than half a stick of incense's time.

Pan Yong stood up, poured the herbal powder he had prepared in advance into the jar receiving the fishy, foul-smelling pulp, and then Pan Yong held the jar and shook it before sealing it and placing it in the corner.

Only then did Pan Yong wipe his hands, look at Duan Rong, and say, "Wait for me here for a moment."

As Pan Yong spoke, he walked into the mountain cave.

At this time, the sky was dim, and the inside of the mountain cave was pitch black, but in the side chamber, a dim yellow light was shining over.

Pan Yong walked into the side chamber.

In the dim daylight, Shang Xiangyu had lit a Candle Lamp on the desk, leaned close to the candlelight, and continued to look at the notebook in his hands.

Pan Yong walked in, made a bow, and then said, "Master Shang, the ingredients for tomorrow's medicine refining are all prepared."

The thick look of contemplation in Shang Xiangyu's eyes slowly faded; he stared at Pan Yong for a while before saying, "Mm. How is that kid, Duan Rong?"

Pan Yong said, "That kid doesn't say a word, but he is quite a capable hand at work."

Shang Xiangyu nodded and said, "Let him go to the medicine refining tomorrow as well."

Pan Yong's gaze jumped, and he said, "Yes."

Generally, those who were new would only start participating in medicine refining after half a year. This Duan Rong had only just arrived for one day, and Master Shang was already letting him participate in medicine refining.

This was somewhat abnormal!

Pan Yong exited the side chamber and walked outside the stone cave with a gloomy expression.

Outside the stone cave, in the dim light, Duan Rong was holding a strangely shaped Artifact in his hand.

Pan Yong glanced at it and said, "That is a Pao Dao, made by Master Shang himself; it is a bit different from the ones outside."

Duan Rong nodded and placed it to one side.

He had just devoured all the Artifacts here, but they were all Unranked Spirit Tools, all at the practical level.

Pan Yong said, "Duan Rong, follow me; I will settle your living arrangements first."

Duan Rong said, "Thank you, Senior Brother Pan."

Duan Rong shouldered the backpack he had placed by the cave entrance, followed Pan Yong, crossed the fence, and walked along the cliff for another stretch before suddenly seeing seven or eight scattered mountain caves in the dim light.

Pan Yong said, "Let's go to that stone cave over there. Someone used to live there, but they left less than two months ago. The things in the cave are more complete."

Duan Rong followed Pan Yong to a cave entrance; this was already the corner of the mountain path, and if one walked further forward, one could turn into the dense forest along the mountain path covered with rugged rocks.

Duan Rong placed his backpack at the cave entrance.

Pan Yong said, "Disciple, you can tidy up when you come back later. Let me explain the things that need to be explained to you first."

As Pan Yong spoke, he walked over there and headed toward the dense forest along the mountain path.

"Actually, here... it's only when Master Shang needs to refine medicine that it gets busy for a while. Usually, it's relatively leisurely."

"Everyone has a plot of herb garden to look after. This patch of herbs was originally looked after by that person for over a year; he has been gone for over a month, and I have been the one looking after it. Now that you have come, it is handed over to you."

As Pan Yong spoke, he had already brought Duan Rong into the dense forest, to a clearing that had clearly been opened up.

Duan Rong's gaze shifted.

This cleared space was overgrown with Xuantu Vine and Frost-Hair Mugwort.

Stalks of Xuantu Vine climbed all over the Wooden Frame, and in the gaps of the Xuantu Vine grew Frost-Hair Mugwort with white fuzz...

Pan Yong and Duan Rong walked toward the mountain cave in the dim dense forest.

As Pan Yong walked, he chatted with Duan Rong about the growth habits of Xuantu Vine and Frost-Hair Mugwort.

He would mention a couple of things casually, and Duan Rong could answer fluently.

Duan Rong knew very delicately how Xuantu Vine and Frost-Hair Mugwort should be raised to grow vigorously, as well as some seasonal taboos.

Thoughts churned in Pan Yong's heart, but he still smiled with his usual expression: "Disciple, since you know the habits of Xuantu Vine and Frost-Hair Mugwort so well, then Senior Brother is relieved. You will surely be able to manage this garden well."

As the two spoke, they had already arrived at the edge of the cliff, and Duan Rong immediately smelled a mellow fragrance.

Pan Yong's eyes lit up, and he said, "Let's go, Disciple. The meal is already cooked; Junior Sister Tang's culinary skills are truly superb!"

The two walked to a cave entrance and saw a large iron pot set up on a pile of firewood there.

In the large iron pot, thick soup was simmering, and Tang Zhu stood by the pot, stirring with a wooden spoon...

Chen Hu and Yin Cong were holding dry flatbread, toasting it by the fire...

Very quickly, the few of them each had a bowl of thick soup and a flatbread, sitting at the entrance of the cave.

The flames rising from the woodpile cast a red glow upon their faces.

Duan Rong had been walking in the mountains for over three days, eating only dried meat and dry flatbreads; it had been a long time since he had eaten hot soup.

Duan Rong broke open the flatbread, soaked it in the soup, and took a sip; the soup was thick, salty, and fragrant, and it was very delicious.

Yin Cong laughed and said, "Disciple Duan Rong, this soup isn't bad, is it?"

Duan Rong said, "It's not bad at all."

Yin Cong said, "Disciple, do you know what this soup is made of?"

Duan Rong shook his head and stuffed a piece of flatbread soaked in soup into his mouth.

Yin Cong said, "It's made from the bug you peeled."

Duan Rong's brow furrowed, and he immediately felt a wave of nausea. It was as if the heavy, fishy, and foul-smelling liquid had returned to his nasal cavity.

Seeing Duan Rong's expression, Yin Cong chuckled.

Duan Rong glanced at him and immediately understood that this person was teasing him.

Tang Zhu said, "Don't listen to Yin Cong's nonsense; this guy just likes to tease people. I'm most afraid of that bug, so how could it possibly be used to make soup?"

Pan Yong chimed in from the side, saying, "Right, it's not made from that bug. It's made from the dregs left after squeezing that bug. Bug-dreg soup!"

After Pan Yong finished speaking, all of them laughed.

Duan Rong said, "If that bug were used for soup, it would be a bit of a pity. I think pan-frying it would be good. It's juicy; take one bite, and it's full of paste!"

After Duan Rong finished speaking, he took a sip of soup and gulped it down.

The others were stunned by what Duan Rong said, and Yin Cong said, "Disciple, you are the ruthless one."

Pan Yong also glanced at Duan Rong and said, "Your taste is really heavy!"

"A bunch of perverts!" Tang Zhu glared and cursed.

Chen Hu said, "Well... Disciple Tang, I didn't chime in."

"You're the biggest pervert!" Tang Zhu glared at Chen Hu and said, "You didn't chime in, but you were secretly enjoying it the whole time. Did you think I didn't see?"

"Is it a crime to laugh?"

"Get up!" Tang Zhu stood beside Chen Hu and patted his shoulder.

Chen Hu immediately pulled his legs back.

Tang Zhu stepped over Chen Hu, put down her own bowl, took an empty bowl, ladled out a fresh bowl of soup, and soaked half a flatbread in it.

She carried the bowl and walked along the edge of the cliff toward the stone cave of Shang Xiangyu.

Duan Rong glanced at Tang Zhu's back; although he had many questions in his heart, he felt that as a newcomer, it was better to speak less, as asking too many questions easily made people suspicious.

Tang Zhu carried the bowl and crossed the stone railing outside the cave; by this time, the sky was pitch black. Tang Zhu walked to a stone platform carved into the cliff, placed the soup bowl on the stone platform, took out a Fire Folder, and lit the Candle Lamp on the stone platform.

The Candle Lamp cast a circle of light on the pitch-black platform.

Tang Zhu held the bowl and looked at the lame person sitting blankly in front of the railing.

Tang Zhu said, "Xin'er, come here."

Hearing someone call, the lame person turned his head. As soon as he saw the bowl in Tang Zhu's hand, saliva immediately surged out, and he crawled over while pulling the Iron Chain, muttering, "Eat... eat..."

Tang Zhu used a spoon to scoop half a spoonful of soup and fed it into the lame person's mouth; the lame person swallowed eagerly...

Just at this moment, a black shadow walked out from the entrance of the stone cave and stood behind Tang Zhu.

Tang Zhu held the spoon and moved to feed the soup into the lame person's mouth, but the lame person dodged it, looked behind Tang Zhu, and reached out both hands with a longing look in his eyes, saying, "Daddy... hold..."

An expression of intertwined pain and love appeared on Shang Xiangyu's face.

He glanced at Tang Zhu and said, "Feed Xin'er well; I am going out for a while."

"Yes," Tang Zhu said.

Shang Xiangyu had already turned and walked outside the railing; Tang Zhu glanced over and saw that Shang Xiangyu was clutching a rolled-up empty Sack in his hand.

Seeing Shang Xiangyu's figure disappear into the darkness, Tang Zhu turned her head to look at the lame person, her expression suddenly turning cold.

Tang Zhu picked up a stone, looked at the lame person, and said, "Xin'er, if you throw stones at me again, I will beat you. Do you understand?"

While threatening him, Tang Zhu made a move as if to hit the lame person. Just then, with a 'bang', the lame person actually pulled a stone out of his pocket and, caught off guard, smashed it onto Tang Zhu's forehead again.

Tang Zhu was instantly enraged; she put down the soup bowl, grabbed one of the lame person's arms in a reverse hold, and pressed him to the ground.

The lame person's face was pressed against the ground, his legs kicking and struggling, his mouth making babbling sounds...

Tang Zhu's expression was furious, and she said, "You still dare to take a stone..."

Her words were only half-spoken when a black shadow flashed before her eyes, and with a 'slap', Tang Zhu was sent flying backward.

When she stood up, the corners of her mouth were already bleeding, and there were four bloody, mangled finger marks on her face...

A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Tang Zhu's forehead, and her voice trembled. "Shang... Master Shang..."

Shang Xiangyu helped the lame person up, lovingly wiping the dust and saliva from his face, and then pinched off the stone debris stuck to the corner of his mouth.

Shang Xiangyu looked coldly at Tang Zhu and said, "Is this how you usually treat Xin'er?"

Tang Zhu immediately knelt down, weeping, "Xin'er threw stones at me, I just wanted to warn him..."

Shang Xiangyu's gaze instantly became extremely terrifying.

Tang Zhu's throat felt as if it were knotted, and she could no longer speak; her whole body could not stop trembling.

"If there is a next time, I will peel your skin off and feed it to the Black Blood Vine beneath the ground!"

Hearing the words 'Black Blood Vine', Tang Zhu's face instantly turned pale with fright; her face was somewhat distorted due to extreme fear.

Tang Zhu prostrated herself on the ground, kowtowing incessantly.

"Master Shang! Spare my life... spare... my life... I will never dare to do it again..."

Tang Zhu kowtowed more than ten times, until her forehead was bleeding, only to finally discover that Shang Xiangyu's figure was already gone.

Shang Xiangyu had left, though she did not know when.

Only that lame man stood there foolishly, staring blankly at a certain spot in the darkness...

Seeing Shang Xiangyu leave, Tang Zhu suddenly went limp all over; it took her quite a while to recover her strength, struggle to her feet, pick up the soup bowl, and continue feeding the lame man.

Wiping away her tears, Tang Zhu said, "Come, Xin'er, sister will feed you..."

After Duan Rong and the others had eaten their fill, they each dispersed.

Duan Rong returned to his own cave.

He felt for the Fire Folder inside his lapel to illuminate this cave, which was quite deep.

Inside this cave, all sorts of items were fully stocked; it truly looked like a place where someone had lived for a long time.

Duan Rong lit the Candle Lamp on the Stone Table and looked toward the stone bed not far away, seeing that the blankets and bedding upon it were all laid out neatly.

Duan Rong pulled off the dust-covered blanket on the stone bed, took out a new animal-hide blanket from his pack and spread it out, then sat down cross-legged...

Duan Rong sat cross-legged with his five hearts facing the sky, sensing that extremely thin wisp of True Qi within his dantian.

He had been traveling for over a month, and whenever he had time, he would practice breathing exercises, but his progress was terrifyingly slow, comparable to a snail crawling.

Duan Rong was very clear that he needed to solve the problem of Pills for the True Qi Realm...

After night fell, a strong wind suddenly rose, blowing the mist until it churned into moisture and struck the rocks and trees, and the cold moonlight drifted down from between the clouds.

In the back mountain, quite a distance from the cliff, a thin, long figure could be seen holding a large stone pot in one hand and clutching a bulging Sack in the other, their figure flickering between the rocks like a ghost.

Suddenly, that figure stopped in front of a stone wall entwined with vines.

But the next moment, that figure strangely vanished...

(End of this chapter)